One Heart Derived From Two
by ShiverIntheLight
Summary: Even the child knew who she was; the daughter of the revered mercenary Zael, and the sweet Queen Calista. Sariyai, as she was named, loved nature as her mother did. In the land where her parents decided to make their second home she spent her days wandering the forest, ambling slowly and watching the birds fly.


One Heart Derived From Two

**Disclaimer: I don't own any characters or places from The Last Story. Sariyai, however, is my own character. Sorry about that. XD**

* * *

The girl had majestic hair that flowed like water from her scalp. The platinum blonde-haired child giggled to herself as she dashed through Lazulis City, running past the Gurak and humans. However she was polite and gentle, always apologizing to whomever she bumped into, her indigo-colored eyes softening as she looked into the person's or Gurak's face.

They would always apologize themselves, for they couldn't help it; she was the child they knew and heard about everyday. The citizens and Gurak of Lazulis City loved this child; they loved her from the very start for how congenial and beautiful she was.

Even the child knew who she was; the daughter of the revered mercenary Zael, and the sweet Queen Calista. Sariyai, as she was named, loved nature as her mother did. In the land where her parents decided to make their second home she spent her days wandering the forest, ambling slowly and watching the birds fly freely through the trees.

Sariyai loved Zael's old mercenaries and always asked about them daily, making her parents look at each other in amusement.

Mother, Father? Are we going to see Mirania, Yurick, Lowell, and Syrenne soon?" she asked as they entered the dock on their island and Zael knelt down on one knee to look at her.

"How did you know we are going to see them today?" Zael asked in mock shock, and Sariyai giggled with glee, an expression of joy on her face. The retired mercenary stood up and kissed his wife, Calista, on the lips softly before the family set off for Lazulis Island.

* * *

"You're such a sweetie, aren't yeh," Syrenne remarked as Sariyai begged to sit on her knee, making her eyes large and irresistable.

"Fine, you win Sariyai. Even if you are gettin' too heavy for my knee..." the dual swordswoman relented after a bit of cajoling from the child and Sariyai giggled with triumph as she was picked up and placed on Syrenne's knee.

"Lowell! I want a girl just like Sariyai!" Syrenne called from across the bar and Lowell chuckled, scratching the back of his light blonde head in embarrassment.

"Slow down, love. We are only just getting started," he shot back, making Zael, Calista, and the other mercenaries laugh heartily. Syrenne bounced Sariyai gently and the child squealed with glee, holding on tight.

"You know Zael, if you don't watch yer back I may just take her from you," Syrenne warned and Zael shook his head.

"I don't have to watch out; I bet Sariyai would go willingly anyway," he replied good-naturedly and Yurick snorted.

"See Sariyai, you have to watch out for women like Syrenne. They don't take no for an answer and they are always demanding." Lowell came over to Syrenne and the child. The pink-haired dual swordswoman growled after taking a swig of her ale.

"If you don't watch out Lowell you may just find yourself on the floor with my foot on yer face," Syrennne snarled, but the ice mage only laughed, resting an arm on her shoulder lovingly.

"Who would be watching out anyway?" Mirania asked as she came down the stairs. "We are all family here. There's need to be violent while a child is with us."

Mirania had a special bond with Sariyai all due to the fact that Zael and Calista's child loved nature and everything about it. When the mercenaries would visit Zael and Calista's second home the healer and the young girl would go for long walks in the forest that usually extended to well past dinnertime.

Today was the tenth year anniversary of Zael and Calista's marriage and the married couple couldn't have been happier spending it with their old friends. Once they all gathered together the group headed to the harbor to set sail to Zael and Calista's home a few hours away from Lazulis Island.

Once they reached the beautiful island Sariyai pleaded for Mirania to walk with her, to which the gentle healer agreed instantaneously with her golden eyes becoming eager.

"How boring!" Syrenne whined as she watched Mirania and Sariyai make their way through the forest. "She's mine, yeh hear me?! Sariyai's mine, Mirania!"

Zael, Lowell, and Yurick chuckled in good humor as Syrenne bounced up and down in place, failing to get Mirania's attention. Lowell sauntered over to his wife and wrapped a lazy arm around her waist, which Syrenne allowed without hesitation.

"I get dibs on Sariyai when she and Mirania come back from their nature excavation." Syrenne pointed a finger at Zael, who raised his hands in silent surrender, his mouth quirking up in a grin.

* * *

Yurick also had a special connection to Sariyai; the child was so understanding and soft-spoken that he felt comfortable and normal around her as well as the other mercenaries. Sariyai was fascinated by Yurick's magic and how he sometimes used it to light a bonfire outside the house on the nights the mercenaries visited.

"Uncle Yurick, why is magic so bright?" she asked the fire mage one day while watching the fire from inside the house.

"It wants to impress you, Sariyai. The magic wants you to see it and love it," Yurick replied, feeling a smile stretching his lips upward. He knew he loved this child and would do anything to protect her and keep her cared for in life. She reminded him of life and love, something Yurick hadn't really appreciated while growing into a man. He always loved to watch her and told Zael and Calista repeatedly on what a sweet child they had.

Sariyai never left any of the mercenaries out; she always made sure to see and spend time with them all in the same day, knowing they wouldn't stay for a long time.

Lowell and Syrenne watched the child play with her pink and purple toy pony that night, shoulders touching, hands entwined. If the ice mage closed his eyes he could just imagine that Sariyai was their child, full of life and energy.

"Aunt Syrenne, why is Uncle Lowell sleeping and standing up?" Sariyai asked and Syrenne elbowed Lowell, making him softly whisper an ow before opening his eyes.

"I wasn't asleep, Sariyai. I was only resting my eyes." He gave a chuckle and dual swordsman leaned into her husband, a smile on her face. Zael and Calista walked in at that moment, just as Sariyai began to yawn, and picked her up, going to tuck her in bed.

"Such lovebirds them two," Syrenne remarked with an amused smirk as she and Lowell watched Zael and Calista leave the room, Sariyai draped over her father's shoulder.

"Oh, and we aren't like that?" Lowell asked with a quirked blonde eyebrow and Syrenne snorted.

"I don't think so...eek!" the dual swordwoman yelped in alarm as the ice mage picked her up and captured her lips with his own, laughing in triumph.

* * *

Zael and Calista tucked Sariyai into her bed as Yurick and Mirania walked into the child's room.

"Syrenne and Lowell are at it again?" Zael asked and Yurick nodded, an amused smile on his usually solemn face.

"Can't blame them, those two are never apart from one another," the fire mage remarked, crossing his arms.

"Goodnight Yurick, Mirania, Mother, and Father," Sariyai whispered, her eyes beginning to close already as she snuggled under the comforters.

"Goodnight, sweetheart. Tomorrow the forest spirits will be waiting for you to walk with them again," Mirania told her and came over to kiss Sariyai on the forehead motherly with a soft smile.

"Goodnight Sariyai. Have sweet dreams," Yurick said, a warm smile on his face as well, before he and Mirania left together to wait in the Living room for Zael and Calista.

"Goodnight my daughter," Zael murmured as he kissed Sariyai on the cheek, gently pushing the hair away from the child's eyes.

"Mother and Father will be awake if you need us, all right hunnie? Goodnight my precious one," Calista said and the slightest inclination of a sleepy nod could be seen from Sariyai. The queen of Lazulis Island kissed her daughter in turn before the parents held each other and left their daughter's room, closing the door gently behind them.

* * *

Sometimes when Zael, Calista, Lowell, Syrenne, Mirania, and Yurick stayed up late at night from talking Sariyai refused to sleep in her bed and usually always fell asleep in her father's arms. She never wanted to be apart from her parents or the mercenaries for too long, unless she was fast asleep.

"Such a darling child," Mirania would remark with a motherly smile on her face and the warmth in the room from the family only augmented. Zael and Calista could only agree that their friends loved Sariyai as much as they loved each other and that only brought them closer together as one. Zael made sure not to move; he didn't want to wake his daughter up when she was comfortable.

"Mirania, one day we should all steal Sariyai from Zael and Calista and have a day with her all to ourselves," Yurick suggested mischievously and everyone looked at him.

"Jealous of our child, Yurick?" Calista asked with a soft tinkly laugh and every chuckled softly, not wanting to wake Sariyai.

"I do agree that that would be a fantastic idea," Lowell replied to the fire mage and Mirania nodded her raven-haired head.

"Why not do it tomorrow so we can leave these lovebirds all to themselves?" Syrenne asked with a knowing look and Zael and Calista looked at each other, smiling with amusement, their bodies touching.

"Why not?" Calista asked, her smile not fading, and Zael kissed her on the cheek, making a small blush flush his wife's face.

"Someones embarrassed. Well, I'm hungry. What do you have to eat here?" the dual swordswoman queried, standing up from her comfortable embrace with Lowell. Lowell pretended to look hurt for a moment as Syrenne walked off before chuckling.

As she listened to the two of them banter and play-fight Calista knew that what she had now couldn't get any better. She loved her husband and her child and she loved the mercenaries as well. As she watched Syrenne and Lowell finally pick something out to eat together she knew she couldn't be in no better place. And she also knew that her child couldn't get a better life then the one she already had, snuggled in her father's arms.

* * *

**A/N: How did you like it? Did this fanfic seem a bit rushed? Is everyone in character? Let me know with a review ^.^ Thanks for reading! :D**


End file.
